Closure for receptacles



June 26. 1928. 1,675,006

A. A. THOMAS CLOSURE FOR REC EPTACLES Filed April 10, 1926 INVENTOR Patented June 26, 1928 UNITED "STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ADOLPH A. THOMAS,

CLOSURE FOR Application filed April 10,

My invention is for a new and improved stopper for receptacles, and its characteristic feature is a spiral spring adapted to ex. pand radially against .the inside wall of the receptacle opening for locking the stopper in position. A slight left-handed twist of the stopper automatically contracts the coils of .the spiral to permit easy .rernox-al of the stopper. The resilient spiral is preferably m coiled .fromasingle strip or wire of resilient metal, and is rigidly attached to .a .head or base member of suitable construction. In the preferred form of my invention, the normal-diameter of the spiral is slightly greater l5 than the diameter of the opening in the receptacle. To insert the stopper, it is given a slight twist to the left, whereby the coils of the spiral are contracted radially to fit into the neck of the receptacle. When the stopper is fully inserted, the coils of .the-

spiral automatically expandand press outwardly against the wall of the opening; in other words, the stopper isself-locking. To remove the stopper, it is given little twist to the left, whereupon the spiral coils automatically contract (or tend tocontraot) in a radial direction to loosen their grip on the surrounding wall. 1

The foregoing and .otheradvantages of 80 my improved sto per will be better understood from a-detalled description of the embodiments shown aslexamples in the accompartying-drawings, in which Figure 1 illustrates-mainly in cross-section, .a bottle stopper made in accordance with my invention; and

Fig. 2 shows a-mcdi-fied form of stopper for a wide-mouthed receptacle.

Referring first tQ- Fig.- l, the panticular term of stopper there shown comprises a. head H to which issecured a resilient spiral extension The head may be of any suitable construction and material, which will obviously vary with; the .size and shape 46 of the bottle neck'bl. the present instance, the :stopper head .is of sheet metal and consists eta top-orhandle partial), a horizontal seatingshoulder 11, and acylindrieal depending flange 12 arranged to fit into the bottle neck. f desired, .a ring 13 of cork, rubber, or similar material, may .be attached to-th'e outside of flange 12 to make a c-fiuidatiglht joint with the :inner wall of the receptacle. the stopper is intended 66 for carafes, waterjugs or other vessels in or NEW YORK, N. Y.

RncEPrAoLEs.

1926. Serial No. 101,019.

which an air-tight closure is not essential, the

sealing ring 13 may be omitted. A disk 14:

is preferably employed to make the inside of the handle part 10 fluid-tight. A venient way of securing the disk .14 in place is to clamp it between the flanges 11 and 15 of the head. The disk 14 should he of a metal or other appropriate material not affected by the contents of the container.

The resilient spiral extension K is preferably formed from a single strip or wire of metal or alloy having the requisite strength and elasticity,such as steel, bronze, certain alloys of aluminum, and others well known to the mechanic. Spiral K is provided :at its innerend with an integral collar 16, which "ts tight against flange 12 and is secured thereto by rivets 17 or otherwise. Collar 16 preferably terminates .in contact with the disk 14- to assist in maintaining a tight joint around the edge of the disk and also to impart a neater structural finish to the stopper as a whole. By referring to the .part I6 as a collar, I do not mean that it is in the form of a closed circle, for it need only be an arcuate extension of suliicient length to 'be securely fastened to flange 12.

It will be seen from Fig. '1 that the turns or coils of spiral K- run in such a direction that a left-handed turn of the stopper tends to contract the spiral radiall while a righthanded turn causes the coi s to expand in diameter. If the normal diameter of the spiral turns is made slightly greater than the inside diameter-of the bottle neck, the stopper is easily inserted by simply twisting. it a little to the left, so as 'to-decerase the iameter of the spiral. When the stopper is inserted, the resilient coils automatically expand in :aradial direction and press firmly against the neck of the receptacle, thereby locking the stopper in position. The frictional engagement between the tensioned spiral coils and the bottle' neck is amply .sulficient to prevent removal or loosening of the stopper, except by turning the same to theleft so .as to contract the spiral. 1f the inserted stopper is turned to the right, the spiral is radially expanded and its locking action is intensified. The spinal may also be made to fit directly into the bottleneck without a preliminary left-handed turn of the stopper. In that event, the inserted stopper is given :a .right handedtwist to expand th spiral outwardly into frictional engagement with the surrounding wall. A left-handed turn loosens the stopper for easy removal. As seen in Fig. 1, the turns of the spiral are sufliciently separated to permit the required expanding movement.

In the modification of Fig. 2, the stopper comprises a simplified head H to which is attached a resilient spiral K formed of interlocking coils. This construction of stopper is particularly adapted for vessels with wide mouths, such as food jars and the like. The head H, which is easily shaped out of a single piece of sheet metal, consists of a cover disk 18, a gripping edge 19, a seating shoulder 20,and a depending cylindrical ,flange 21.f The disk 18 and shoulder 20 are so firmly pressed together as to inake a fluid-tight joint. The circular' edge 19 may be roughenel to provide a better gripping surface. If desired, a ring 22 of cork or. like material may be attached to flange 21 to make sealing contact with the neck 23 of. the container.

The spiral K has a collar or circular extension 24 arranged to be secured to flange 21 by rivets 25;, or in any other practical way. Theturns of spiral K are formed from a single strip of metal and bent into interlocking engagement along adjacent edges, as illustrated in Fig. 2. This is readily done by automatic machinery, as will be understood by mechanics familiar with that particular art. Otherwise, what has been said about the function and. operation of spiral K applies to spiral 'K without the need of repetition.

It goes'witho'ut saying that spiral K may be attached to a head like H', and spiral K may beused withhead H'of Fig. 1. No special constructionof stopper head is necessary. The dimensions of the spiral will evidently ary in accordance'with the size of the opening-and. will also depend upon the amountofpressure' that the 'tensioned coils shall ex'ert radially against the wall of the receptacle. These are details for the. mechanic. 1'

The automatic expandingof the resilient spiral coils against the wall of the'opening makes the inserted stopper self-locking. No

screw threads or other inutilations of the inner wall of the "receptacle neck are required to lock th'e'jstopper in place. The wall of the opening may be perfectly smooth, and

either cylindrical- (Fig. 2) or slightly conical (F ig. 1).-- If found necessary or desirable,

a slight right handed'twist may be given the inserted stopper so. as to increase the pressure of the tensioned spiral rings against the bottle neck. It will be observed that the turns comprising-the spiral present a large surface area for frictional gripping or jamming contactwith the surrounding wall of the receptacle,thereby'insuring the retention of the stopper against accidental loosening.

The outside of the spiral rings may b slightly roughened or ribbed longitudinally (that is, in the direction of the spiral) to augment their gripping action, but as a rule that will not be necessary. A little twist to the left is suflicient to contract the spiral for easy removal of the stopper.

Since the spiral can be made by machinery from a single metal strip or wire, it adds but little to the cost of the stopper. N o radial or axial bracing of the resilient spiral is necessary to keep it from getting crushed or dented, for it is inherently of sutlicient rigidity to withstand ordinary handling. -'The entirely open construction of the spiral makes it easy to keep clean. Instoppers intended to be used on expensive receptacles (like vacuum-insulated Carafes and water pitchers for hotel rooms, etc.),- the spiral may be plated with gold, nickl e, or other non-oxidizing metal.

So as to avoid any possible misunderstanding as to what I'mean by the term-spiral in the description and claims,let me make it plain that I use the word spiral to describe a coil which advances int-he direction of its axis. like a band or wire woundaround a cylinder or cone on which the band'or -wire progresses axially as it is wound. The spiral stopper of myinvention has nothing to do with a coil or spring wound in asingle plane and of gradually decreasing diameter as it approaches the center, like themamspring of a watch. Also,I want to explainthat I use the word bottle herein as'a c'onvenien't term to indicate any kind, shape or size of receptacle having an opening to be closed. In speaking of right'and left turns' of the stopper for inserting and removing the same, I have a'ssumed'that the spiralis so wound as to contract in diameterwhen the stopper is turned left. Obviously,*the spiral may be wound'theother waypsothat right-handed twist willloosen the 'stopperi' Although I have shown and described certain specific constructions, I want it "understood that I have done so merely byway of example and not as arestriction or"limitation of my inventionf It is' mani festthat' coils capable of expanding and contracting radially in the neck ofa bottle -for-locking and releasing the stopper.--

' 3. A bottle stopper having an annular flange. and a spiral spring secured at one end to said [tango and adapted to engage the inside wall of a bottle neck.

4. A bottle stopper provided with locking and releasing means in the form of a spiral spring adapted to be radially expanded and ct'mtracted in the neck of the bottle. said spring consisting of interlocking coils.

A bottle stopper having a spiral spring arranged to be inserted into a bottle neck to engage the wall thereot', the coils of said spring being adapted to expand and contract radially. the normal diameter of the spring coils being slightly greater than the inside diameter of the bottle neck, whereby the coils ot' the inserted spring are automatically held under tension in frictional engagement with the surroumling wall.

(3. A bottle stopper provided with a resilient spiral extension adapted to engage the inside of a bottle neck. the coils of said spiral being adapted to expand radially against the wall of the bottle neck to lock the stopper in position, said spiral coils automatically contracting when the stopper is turned in the proper direction to permit easy removal of the stopper.

T. bottle stopper comprising a base member provided with a cvlindrical flange adapted to lit into a bottle neck, a resilient spiral extension attached to said flange and tomtructed to expand against the wall of the bottle iltt'li' to lock the stopper in position, th coils of said spiral extension automatieiilly contracting when the stopper is turned in the proper direttion to permit easy removal of the stopper.

8. A bottle stopper comprising a base member provided with a cylindrical flange adapted to tit into a bottle neck. and a onepieee spiral spring attached to said flange and adapted to press against the bottle neck to lock the stopper in closing position. the coils of said spring automatically contracting to release the stopper when the same is given a left-handed turn.

5). The combination with a receptacle having an opening to be closed, of a stopper provided with a resilient spiral extension having a normal diameter slightly greater than the diameter of said opening, the coils of said spiral extension being free from lateral bracing so as to contract diametrically as the stopper is turned in one direction and pushed into the opening, the tensioned coils of said spiral extension automaticaity expanding against the inside wall of said opening to lock the inserted stopper in position.

it A bottle stopper comprising a base memixer of sheet metal constructed to form a clostre. and a resilient metal spiral carried by will member so as to fit into a bottle neck and press against the surrounding wall. the coils of said spiral being adapted to contact radially when the stopper is turned in a certain direction whereby the it pper is loosened for easy removal.

11. A closure for a receptacle comprising a one-piece base member of sheet metal, said member having a depending cylindrical tlange and a horizontal annular shoulder. said shoulder being adapted to rest on the top rim of the receptacle and said flange being adapted to fit into the opening of the receptacle. :1 disk section formed on said base member in sealing contact with the outer circular edge of said flange, the outer periphery of said shoulder and said disk providing a double thickness of metal around the base member to form an annular gripping et ge, and a spiral spring secured to said cylindrical flange for engaging the inside of the opening and holding the base member in closing position, said spiral spring being radially contractible to permit ready removal of the closure.

ADOLPH A. THOMAS. 

